Abdullah al-Maliki was a Yemen-based operative of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). He died in a May 2020 CIA airstrike in Yemen. According to an unnamed U.S. official, Maliki was an al-Qaeda communications specialist in AQAP’s command structure who was globally distributing al-Qaeda’s messages. U.S. officials credited Maliki’s death with degrading al-Qaeda’s capabilities in Yemen.Katie Benner and Adam Goldman, “F.B.I. Finds Links Between Pensacola Gunman and Al Qaeda,” New York Times, May 18, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/us/politics/justice-department-al-qaeda-florida-naval-base-shooting.html; “Attorney General William P. Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray Announce Significant Developments in the Investigation of the Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooting,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 18, 2020, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-and-fbi-director-christopher-wray-announce-significant.

On December 6, 2019, Saudi military officer Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani killed three people and wounded eight others in an attack a U.S. military base in Florida where he was training.Frances Robles, Eric Schmitt, Patricia Mazzei, and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, “Before Florida Shooting, Gunman Showed Off Videos of Mass Attacks,” New York Times, December 7, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/07/us/pensacola-florida-shooting-saudi.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article. AQAP claimed responsibility for the attack in February 2020.“Al Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula claims December shooting at Florida naval base,” Reuters, February 2, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting-alqaeda/al-qaeda-in-arabian-peninsula-claims-december-shooting-at-florida-naval-base-idUSKBN1ZW0PH. Prior to the attack, Alshamrani was reportedly communicating with Maliki. According to the FBI, Maliki released AQAP’s claim of responsibility.“FBI Director Christopher Wray’s Remarks at Press Conference Regarding Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooting Investigation,” FBI, May 18, 2020, https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-director-christopher-wrays-remarks-at-press-conference-regarding-naval-air-station-pensacola-shooting-investigation. Information found on Alshamrani’s phone provided U.S. authorities with intelligence on Maliki, which led to Maliki’s death in a CIA drone strike in Yemen in May 2020.Katie Benner and Adam Goldman, “F.B.I. Finds Links Between Pensacola Gunman and Al Qaeda,” New York Times, May 18, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/us/politics/justice-department-al-qaeda-florida-naval-base-shooting.html.

Muhammad Khadir Musa Ramadan, is a senior leader of and key propagandist for ISIS. On May 28, 2020, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program offered a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the location or identification of Ramadan’s whereabouts.“Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Muhammad Ramadan,” U.S. Department of State, May 28, 2020, https://translations.state.gov/2020/05/28/rewards-for-justice-reward-offer-for-information-on-muhammad-ramadan/.

Believed to have been born in Jordan, Ramadan is one of ISIS’s longest-serving senior media officials. Ramadan reportedly oversees the group’s daily media operations and manages the content ISIS receives from its international supporters. Ramadan’s role as a key propagandist for the terrorist group has allowed ISIS to radicalize and recruit individuals from across the globe.“Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Muhammad Ramadan,” U.S. Department of State, May 28, 2020, https://translations.state.gov/2020/05/28/rewards-for-justice-reward-offer-for-information-on-muhammad-ramadan/.

Ramadan allegedly oversees the planning, coordination, and production of ISIS’s propaganda, videos, and online platforms. The videos featured on these platforms depicted the severe violence, torture, and execution of civilians at the hands of ISIS. Ramadan’s fundamental beliefs are also enforced among his fellow insurgents. It is reported that he led an effort to cleanse ISIS of moderate opinions, and that he instigated the imprisonment of certain members of ISIS’s propaganda team for not complying with dogmatic and extremist interpretations of Islam.“Wanted Information that brings to justice…Muhammad Khadir Musa Ramadan,” Rewards for Justice, May 31, 2020, https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/muhammad_ramadan.html.

Although Ramadan’s exact beliefs have not been recorded, ISIS adheres to a literalist interpretation of Sunni Islam, specifically embracing beliefs according to an extremist Salafi vision.Hassan Hassan, “Isis: a portrait of the menace that is sweeping my homeland,” Guardian (London), August 16, 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/16/isis-salafi-menace-jihadist-homeland-syria. Salafis believe that Islam has been tainted by centuries of human revision and interpretation. ISIS is explicitly willing to use violence in an attempt to return to the days of the salaf. This willingness is based on the conviction that violence is divinely ordained.Ed Husain, “Saudis Must Stop Exporting Extremism,” New York Times, August 22, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/23/opinion/isis-atrocities-started-with-saudi-support-for-salafi-hate.html. ISIS supplements its Salafist worldview with a belief in the revival of takfirist practices. As a Salafi-Takfiri group, the “enemies of Islam” may be Muslim too.Hassan Mneimneh, “Takfirism,” Critical Threats, October 1, 2009, https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/takfirism.

Mohammed Zahir Khan is an imprisoned British propagandist who voiced support for ISIS and sectarian violence on social media. He had been scheduled for early release in February 2020 but was kept in prison after the British government passed emergency legislation to end the early release of convicted terrorists.“Britain moves to end early release of convicted terrorists,” Reuters, February 11, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-security-law/britain-moves-to-end-early-release-of-convicted-terrorists-idUSKBN2051II; “Emergency terror law clears parliamentary hurdles,” BBC News, February 24, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51623028.

Originally from Birmingham, England, Khan had been arrested on various drug charges. He moved to Sunderland in 2013 to escape the “gang members and crime” in Birmingham.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed for terror posts,” Sunderland Echo, May 2, 2018, https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/sunderland-shopkeeper-jailed-terror-posts-350919. Khan was on probation in 2014 when the Syrian civil war began. He queried his probation officer about traveling to Syria on a humanitarian mission. The probation officer told him he could not travel outside the country.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed for terror posts,” Sunderland Echo, May 2, 2018, https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/sunderland-shopkeeper-jailed-terror-posts-350919.

In 2016 and 2017, Khan made a series of pro-ISIS and extremist posts on social media. Khan retweeted a post calling for ISIS attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain.James Cartledge, “Shopkeeper who backed Islamic State and called for Shia Muslims to be burnt to death is jailed,” Birmingham Mail, May 2, 2018, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/shopkeeper-who-backed-islamic-state-14607149. In December 2016, he shared a terrorist publication of an “ISIS call for attacks” on Twitter. On December 4, Khan called for “death to Shias” on Twitter. On December 30, Khan tweeted several images, including one of an armed individual captioned “The Lone Mujahid.” On December 31, he replied to another Twitter user that there is “NOTHING wrong with chopping off heads of your enemies.”“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed for terror posts,” Sunderland Echo, May 2, 2018, https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/sunderland-shopkeeper-jailed-terror-posts-350919; Mark White, “Govt rushes to prevent release of terrorist who called for ‘year of fear,’” Sky News, February 6, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/terror-prisoner-set-for-release-had-called-for-year-of-fear-11927196. Khan also called for Shiite Muslims to be burned alive.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed over IS terror posts,” BBC News, May 2, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-43978777.

According to police, “Khan openly disseminated material over the internet that promoted terrorism and hatred of others.”Kate Proctor and Dan Sabbagh, “Rush to change sentencing laws before release of convicted terrorists,” Guardian (London), February 5, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/05/terror-sentencing-laws-could-be-brought-in-by-the-end-of-february. Khan was arrested at his Sunderland shop in November 2017.Mark White, “Govt rushes to prevent release of terrorist who called for ‘year of fear,’” Sky News, February 6, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/terror-prisoner-set-for-release-had-called-for-year-of-fear-11927196; “Sunderland Man Jailed For Terror Tweets,” Heart Radio, May 2, 2018, https://www.heart.co.uk/northeast/news/local/sunderland-man-jailed-for-terror-tweets/; Dan Bloom, “Terror convict shopkeeper whose release is set to be blocked one day after emergency law,” Mirror (London), February 6, 2020, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/terror-convict-shopkeeper-whose-release-21442100. Police found pro-ISIS videos on Khan’s computer after his arrest.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed over IS terror posts,” BBC News, May 2, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-43978777. Khan claimed he never supported or believed in ISIS, which he said would punish him for selling alcohol. He admitted to encouraging terrorism, dissemination of a terror publication, and stirring up religious hatred. He claimed he had been “reckless” with his postings and “may have come across inadvertently supporting” ISIS.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed over IS terror posts,” BBC News, May 2, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-43978777. Judge Paul Sloan QC told Khan he had demonstrated “an uninhibited hatred for Shiite Muslims, President Assad and his regime, non-believers and hatred for some Western countries such as the US.”James Cartledge, “Shopkeeper who backed Islamic State and called for Shia Muslims to be burnt to death is jailed,” Birmingham Mail, May 2, 2018, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/shopkeeper-who-backed-islamic-state-14607149. Khan was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.“Sunderland shopkeeper jailed over IS terror posts,” BBC News, May 2, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-43978777.

Khan was scheduled for early release halfway through his sentence on February 28, 2020.“Emergency terror law clears parliamentary hurdles,” BBC News, February 24, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51623028. British law allows for convicts serving fixed-term sentences to be released halfway through the term and complete the remainder of the sentence on home arrest under specific conditions. A parole board is not involved in the early release decision.“Leaving Prison,” Gov.UK, accessed February 25, 2020, https://www.gov.uk/leaving-prison. On February 2, 2020, Sudesh Amman wounded three people during a stabbing spree in Streatham, London. Amman had been released from prison on January 23, 2020, halfway through his more-than-three-year sentence on terrorism charges.Daniel De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885. In response, the British government introduced emergency legislation that February to prevent people convicted of terrorism from being released after serving half their sentences. The Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Bill required convicted terrorists to serve at least two-thirds of their sentences and then receive approval from a parole board before early release. Both houses of parliament approved the bill by February 24.“Britain moves to end early release of convicted terrorists,” Reuters, February 11, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-security-law/britain-moves-to-end-early-release-of-convicted-terrorists-idUSKBN2051II; “Emergency terror law clears parliamentary hurdles,” BBC News, February 24, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51623028. The new law blocked the early release of approximately 50 convicts, including Khan.“Britain moves to end early release of convicted terrorists,” Reuters, February 11, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-security-law/britain-moves-to-end-early-release-of-convicted-terrorists-idUSKBN2051II; “Emergency terror law clears parliamentary hurdles,” BBC News, February 24, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-51623028.

Sudesh Amman was the British citizen who carried out the stabbing attack in Streatham, London, that wounded three people on February 2, 2020. ISIS claimed the attack the following day.“Islamic State group claims responsibility for south London attack,” France 24, February 3, 2020, https://www.france24.com/en/20200203-islamic-state-group-claims-assailant-south-london-attack-was-one-its-fighters-terrorism; “Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844. Amman had been released from prison 10 days earlier after serving half of a more-than-three-year sentence for terrorism offenses.Daniel De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885. The attack sparked national debate on the country’s early-release policies for convicted terrorists.Alan McGuinness, “Streatham attack: Emergency anti-terror law to be brought forward ‘as soon as possible,’” Sky News, February 4, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-attack-emergency-anti-terror-law-to-be-brought-forward-as-soon-as-possible-11925985.

Authorities have linked Amman to wanted propagandist Abdullah al-Faisal. Police found text messages attributed to Faisal on Amman’s phone at the time of his December 2018 arrest. According to a fellow inmate at London’s Belmarsh prison, Amman possessed a USB stick with Faisal’s lectures while was imprisoned between 2018 and 2020.Emma Yeomans, David Brown, Fariha Karim, and Duncan Gardham, “Streatham terror attacker devoted to ‘sheikh’ who inspired London Bridge killer,” The Times (London), February 5, 2010, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/streatham-terror-attacker-devoted-to-sheikh-who-inspired-london-bridge-killer-lpd5wplnt. Amman’s mother told the Guardian her son became more religious in prison and she believed he radicalized there.Caroline Davies and Simon Murphy, “Sudesh Amman: how did science student become Streatham jihadist?,” Guardian (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/sudesh-amman-how-did-science-student-become-streatham-jihadist.

Amman was the oldest of six boys. Amman’s parents separated when he was younger, and his father reportedly moved back to the family’s native Sri Lanka after meeting another woman.Sam Greenhill, “'When I grow up I'm going to be a terrorist': As a dope-smoking boy in the suburbs, Sudesh Amman fantasised about killing police and had an ISIS flag in his room... on Sunday he went on knife rampage (after a final mutton biryani from mum),” Daily Mail (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7963185/Sudesh-Amman-fantasised-killing-police-Sunday-went-knife-rampage.html#comments. Amman graduated from Park High School in Stanmore, England, in 2016. He moved to Harrow, north London, with his mother and younger siblings in a rented house while studying math and science at the College of North West London. Amman attended the school from September 2017 to May 2018. His father lived abroad and reportedly rarely saw the family.Caroline Davies and Simon Murphy, “Sudesh Amman: how did science student become Streatham jihadist?,” Guardian (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/sudesh-amman-how-did-science-student-become-streatham-jihadist. According to police, Amman used the WhatsApp messenger application to indoctrinate his younger siblings in a group he called “La Familia.” Amman shared an al-Qaeda magazine and other propaganda in the group, which also featured pictures of Amman’s siblings posing like ISIS fighters. At one point, Amman declared in the chat “the Islamic state is here to stay.”Daniel De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885.

In addition to his family, Amman attempted to radicalize his girlfriend. Amman sent her beheading videos and encouraged her to kill her “kuffar” parents.Caroline Davies and Simon Murphy, “Sudesh Amman: how did science student become Streatham jihadist?,” Guardian (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/sudesh-amman-how-did-science-student-become-streatham-jihadist. At one point, he told his girlfriend that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS and wanted to carry out acid attacks. In one message seen by authorities, he told her to use a knife, Molotov cocktail, bombs, or a car to “attack the tourists, police and soldiers of taghut, or Western embassies in every country you are in this planet.”Daniel De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885. Amman also told her ISIS was the best thing to happen to Islam.“Teenager Sudesh Amman jailed for online terror videos,” BBC News, December 17, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-46592539.

In April 2018, Dutch blogger and extremism monitor Azazel van den Berg alerted British police about a user on the Telegram messenger service spreading concerning images, including one of a knife and firearms and the phrase “Armed and ready April 3.” Police identified Amman as the user responsible for the Telegram message.Daniel “De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885. Then 18-year-old Amman was arrested in north London in May 2018 on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack.“Update: Streatham High Road attack,” Metropolitan Police, February 3, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-streatham-high-road-attack-393331. Police found an air gun, a black flag, and a combat knife at his home. Police also discovered almost 10 terabytes of terrorist propaganda and training manuals on Amman’s devices, including manuals on “Bloody Brazilian Knife Fighting” and “How To Make A Bomb In Your Kitchen.”“Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844; David Mercer, “Streatham terror attack: What we know about Sudesh Amman,” Sky News, February 7, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-terror-attack-what-we-know-about-sudesh-amman-11925200. Authorities also seized notebooks Amman kept with extremist thoughts. He wrote frequently about his fascination with knife attacks. In one entry on his life goals, he wrote he wanted to die a martyr and go to paradise.Caroline Davies and Simon Murphy, “Sudesh Amman: how did science student become Streatham jihadist?,” Guardian (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/sudesh-amman-how-did-science-student-become-streatham-jihadist.

Authorities did not pursue charges of an eminent attack but charged Amman with multiple counts of ownership and distribution of terrorist materials.“Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844; David Mercer, “Streatham terror attack: What we know about Sudesh Amman,” Sky News, February 7, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-terror-attack-what-we-know-about-sudesh-amman-11925200. In November 2018, Amman pleaded guilty to six charges of possessing documents containing terrorist information and seven charges of disseminating terrorist publications.“Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844; David Mercer, “Streatham terror attack: What we know about Sudesh Amman,” Sky News, February 7, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-terror-attack-what-we-know-about-sudesh-amman-11925200. On December 17, 2018, he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Amman smiled and waved at the court’s public gallery during his sentencing.“Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844. During the sentencing, Judge Mark Lucraft QC described Amman as “someone with sincerely held and concerning ideological beliefs.”Caroline Davies and Simon Murphy, “Sudesh Amman: how did science student become Streatham jihadist?,” Guardian (London), February 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/03/sudesh-amman-how-did-science-student-become-streatham-jihadist.

Amman was released on January 23, 2020, due to British probation rules that allow for early release after the completion of half a sentence. He reportedly lived in a bail hostel in south London under government restrictions and surveillance. Amman was required to wear a GPS tag and was forbidden from visiting ports and airports. His Internet use was limited. He also forfeited his passport.Daniel De Simone, “Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351885.

On February 2, 2020, Amman strapped a fake bomb to his body under his clothes and entered the Low Price Store in Streatham, London. He took a 10-inch knife off the shelf and left the store without paying as an employee tried to stop him. He removed the knife from its packaging and stabbed a woman in the back. He then stabbed a man outside the White Lion Pub down the street as police chased after him. Police shot him dead during the pursuit within 60 seconds of the start of the attack. A third passerby was wounded by shattered glass resulting from a police firearm. Explosives experts determined the bomb strapped to Amman was a hoax.“Streatham attacker named as Sudesh Amman,” BBC News, February 3, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51351844; David Mercer, “Streatham terror attack: What we know about Sudesh Amman,” Sky News, February 7, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-terror-attack-what-we-know-about-sudesh-amman-11925200; “Update: Streatham High Road attack,” Metropolitan Police, February 3, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-streatham-high-road-attack-393331. According to one of the victims, Amman had forgotten to remove the plastic cover from the knife, which prevented further harm.Flora Thompson, Margaret Davis, David Hughes, and Ryan Merrifield, “Terrorist Sudesh Amman 'forgot to take cover off knife' before stabbing shopper, 36,” Mirror (London), February 5, 2020, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/terrorist-sudesh-amman-forgot-take-21432293. On February 3, ISIS released a statement through Telegram claiming Amman was a fighter for the jihadist group.“Islamic State group claims responsibility for south London attack,” France 24, February 3, 2020, https://www.france24.com/en/20200203-islamic-state-group-claims-assailant-south-london-attack-was-one-its-fighters-terrorism.

Currently, British law allows for convicts serving fixed-term sentences to be released halfway through the term and complete the remainder of the sentence on home arrest under specific conditions.“Leaving Prison,” Gov.UK, accessed December 5, 2019, https://www.gov.uk/leaving-prison. After Usman Khan killed two people in an attack near the London Bridge on November 29, 2019, British leaders questioned Khan’s early release and sought a review of 74 convicts who received early conditional releases.“Boris Johnson says 74 terror prisoners released early,” BBC News, December 1, 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50618744. Propagandist Anjem Choudary was released in October 2018 with communications and travel restrictions. Officials called for an “urgent” review of Choudary’s conditions following the London Bridge attack.Robert Mendick, Martin Evans, and Charles Hymas, “Anjem Choudary’s licence under ‘urgent’ review in wake of London Bridge attack,” Telegraph (London), December 2, 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/02/anjem-choudary-have-licence-conditions-reviewed-emerges-met/. After the Streatham attack, government officials began reviewing emergency legislation that would revise the early release procedures for convicted terrorists.Alan McGuinness, “Streatham attack: Emergency anti-terror law to be brought forward ‘as soon as possible,’” Sky News, February 4, 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/streatham-attack-emergency-anti-terror-law-to-be-brought-forward-as-soon-as-possible-11925985.

Mohammad Abdur Raheem Kamali is a convicted pro-ISIS British propagandist and close associate and supporter of the U.S.-designated Islamist propagandist Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal.Sophie Law, “Volunteers ‘ran terror website spreading message of convicted hate preacher who praised ISIS for crucifixions and said children as young as 12 should make bombs,’” Daily Mail (London), October 29, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7626789/Volunteers-ran-terror-website-spreading-message-convicted-hate-preacher.html. Kamali helped administer Faisal’s Authentic Tauheed website alongside Mohammed Abdul Ahad and others. On December 10, 2019, Ahad was found guilty of disseminating terrorist material.Amie Gordon, “Two terrorist sympathizers face prison after spreading sermons from jailed Islamist preacher Abdullah el-Faisal dubbed the ‘Sheikh of Hate,’” Daily Mail (London), December 10, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7776977/Two-terrorists-face-prison-spreading-sermons-jailed-Islamist-preacher.html. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison in February 2020.Henry Martin, “Keyboard jihadi duo who ran Facebook and YouTube sites for jailed ‘Sheikh of Hate’ Islamist preacher who inspired Streatham and London Bridge terrorists are both jailed for four years,” Daily Mail (London), February 12, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7995151/Duo-ran-sites-Sheikh-Hate-inspired-Streatham-London-terrorists-jailed.html.

Between 2012 and 2014, Kamali Administered Faisal’s Authentic Tauheed website along with Ahad and others. Kamali published Faisal’s speeches and materials supporting ISIS and al-Qaeda.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. London’s Metropolitan Police began investigating Kamali and Ahad in 2016 while investigating another Authentic Tauheed contributor on Facebook. Police discovered that Kamali and Ahad played administrative roles for the website.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. Kamali and Ahad were arrested simultaneously on March 1, 2017. They were later released on bail.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. On August 9, 2018, Kamali was charged with seven counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770.

Kamali was part of a network of volunteers who administered Authentic Tauheed. Kamali was assigned the designation AT5 and reportedly became known as the “emir” of the volunteers. Ahad was allegedly designated as volunteer AT3.Sophie Law, “Volunteers ‘ran terror website spreading message of convicted hate preacher who praised ISIS for crucifixions and said children as young as 12 should make bombs,’” Daily Mail (London), October 29, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7626789/Volunteers-ran-terror-website-spreading-message-convicted-hate-preacher.html. According to prosecuting lawyer Matthew Brook, Authentic Tauheed volunteers emphasized quotes from the Quran or hadiths throughout the hate preacher’s speeches before disseminating the content online.Sophie Law, “Volunteers ‘ran terror website spreading message of convicted hate preacher who praised ISIS for crucifixions and said children as young as 12 should make bombs,’” Daily Mail (London), October 29, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7626789/Volunteers-ran-terror-website-spreading-message-convicted-hate-preacher.html. Brook also noted, “At the heart of this case is a website called Authentic Tauheed which published a number of speeches by a man who calls himself Sheikh Faisal… A significant number of them the Crown allege amounted to terrorist publications because they praised terrorist organizations such as ISIS and encouraged his listeners to support those terrorist organizations and directly or indirectly encouraged terrorist action by encouraging support for a wider violent jihad.”Amie Gordon, “Two terrorist sympathizers face prison after spreading sermons from jailed Islamist preacher Abdullah el-Faisal dubbed the ‘Sheikh of Hate,’” Daily Mail (London), December 10, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7776977/Two-terrorists-face-prison-spreading-sermons-jailed-Islamist-preacher.html.

Created in 2008, Authentic Tauheed is a pro-ISIS, Islamist website. Although featuring almost 2,000 blogposts and serving as the largest repository for Faisal’s lectures and speeches, Authentic Tauheed has not been updated since August 17, 2017.Abdullah al-Faisal, “Entering the Lizard Hole (Notes & Audio),” Authentic Tauheed, August 16, 2017. http://www.authentictauheed.com/. Still, Faisal’s recordings and accompanying notes remain available for listening, reading, and downloading on the site. The Authentic Tauheed library includes lectures titled “Requirements of Jihad,” “We Shall Never Integrate,” “We Shall Never Follow the Jews and the Christians,” and “The Kuffaar and the Fear Factor.”“A-Z Lectures,” Authentic Tauheed, accessed November 20, 2019, http://www.authentictauheed.com/p/z-lectures.html; “Notes: Requirements of Jihad – Shaikh Faisal,” Authentic Tauheed, March 12, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/03/notes-requirements-of-jihad-shaikh.html; “Notes: We Shall Never Integrate – Shaikh Faisal,” Authentic Tauheed, May 4, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/05/notes-we-shall-never-integrate-shaikh.html; “134 We Shall Never Follow the Jews and Christians,” Authentic Tauheed, July 14, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/07/134-we-shall-never-follow-jews-and.html; “113 The Kuffaar and the Fear Factor,” Authentic Tauheed, July 2, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/07/113-kufaar-and-theh-fear-factor-e.html. In a two-hour long speech titled “Is the new Caliphate Valid?,” Faisal states, “According to shariah law the homosexuals are to be killed so they are terrified by the [ISIS] caliphate.”Abdullah al-Faisal, “Is the new Caliphate Valid?” Authentic Tauheed, July 21, 2014, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2014/07/audio-is-caliphate-valid.html. In a speech titled, “The Ideological Warfare of the Kufaar against the Ummah,” Faisal says, “…the Jews hate Hitler. Yet the Jews are worst than Hitler in character. They have surpassed Hitler with their cruelty. We lived to see the Jews become the very thing that they hate.”Abdullah al-Faisal, “Is the new Caliphate Valid?” Authentic Tauheed, May 24, 2015, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2015/05/.

On December 10, 2019, Kamali was convicted of four counts of dissemination of terrorist publications on the Internet. The jury failed to reach a consensus on three other counts with which Kamali is charged.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. Kamali was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison on February 12, 2020. Ahad received the same sentence.Henry Martin, “Keyboard jihadi duo who ran Facebook and YouTube sites for jailed ‘Sheikh of Hate’ Islamist preacher who inspired Streatham and London Bridge terrorists are both jailed for four years,” Daily Mail (London), February 12, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7995151/Duo-ran-sites-Sheikh-Hate-inspired-Streatham-London-terrorists-jailed.html.

Zachary Clark, a 41-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, allegedly encouraged violence in the name of ISIS and distributed instruction manuals on bomb-making and terrorist operations.Asher Stockler, “Brooklyn Man Arrested for Allegedly Encouraging ISIS Attack, Sharing Bomb-Making Instructions,” Newsweek, November 29, 2019, https://www.newsweek.com/zachary-clark-isis-terrorism-bombs-1474833. Between March and November 2019, he used mobile applications to disseminate pro-ISIS propaganda and encourage attacks in the United States.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 4, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. According to the criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, Clark pledged allegiance to the terror group twice in 2019.“Brooklyn Man Accused of Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS, Encouraging Attacks in NYC,” NBC New York, November 27, 2019,  https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/brooklyn-man-accused-of-attempting-to-provide-material-support-to-isis/2224967/. Following an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) investigation, he was arrested in Brooklyn on November 27, 2019. Clark is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and one count of distributing information relating to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction. Each charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.“Brooklyn Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, November 27, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/brooklyn-man-arrested-attempting-provide-material-support-isis. On August 10, 2020, Clark pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 9, 2021. Clark faces up to 20 years in prison.“Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, August 10, 2020, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/brooklyn-man-pleads-guilty-manhattan-federal-court-attempting-provide-material-support-isis.

Clark used an encrypted messaging application, referred to only as “Application-1” in the criminal complaint, which allows users to exchange private messages in “chats” and to distribute content to followers by creating “channels.”United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 5, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. He managed numerous ISIS-related channels, using them to post instructional manuals that detailed how to carry out various types of violent attacks, such as bombings, shootings, knife attacks, and vehicle attacks. One of the manuals that he shared provided detailed bomb-making instructions, which were originally from the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s (AQAP) propaganda magazine called Inspire.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 9, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. One of the channels that Clark managed had a large international following and was “among the most popular and prolific distributors of ISIS propaganda, attacks training manuals, and other ISIS recruitment content” on the messaging application.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 5, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download.

Clark also utilized “Application-1” to disseminate propaganda that glorified ISIS’s terrorist activities and encouraged supporters to launch similar attacks in the United States.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 6, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. Many of the graphics that Clark shared via the platform’s channels depicted New York City landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and subway system.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 11-12, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. In October 2019, he admitted to one of the FBI’s confidential sources that many of the graphics he posted to the application were images he created himself.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 24, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download.

Between March and July 2019, Clark communicated with an FBI confidential source who was posing as an ISIS member. Clark discussed ways to support ISIS, stating that he “want[ed] to do media” for the terror group and expressed a desire to conduct a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. According to the criminal complaint, he expressed a willingness to die as a martyr in an attack, but said he would need financial assistance and operational support.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 7, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download.

In July 2019, Clark communicated with another confidential source, who posed as an ISIS member based in the Middle East. The two corresponded using “Application-1” and a second encrypted application referred to as “Application-2” in the criminal complaint.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 5, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download. On July 19, Clark asked the source if he had any ISIS contacts who would help in supporting an ISIS affiliate on the East Coast of the United States. The following day, he sent a video to the source showing his pledge of allegiance to ISIS in Arabic.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 6, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download.

Following the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on October 26, 2019, Clark posted a message on “Application-1” pledging allegiance to the newly appointed ISIS leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi, the nom de guerre of Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli al-Salbi.United States of America v. Zachary Clark, Criminal Complaint, (S.D.N.Y. 2019), 4 and 25, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1221386/download.

On November 27, 2019, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) arrested Clark in Brooklyn, New York. He is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and one count of distributing information relating to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction. Each charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.“Brooklyn Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, November 27, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/brooklyn-man-arrested-attempting-provide-material-support-isis.

Mohammed Abdul Ahad is a convicted British pro-ISIS propagandist and close associate and supporter of the U.S.-designated Islamist propagandist Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal. Ahad helped administer Faisal’s Authentic Tauheed website alongside Mohammad Abdur Raheem Kamali and others. In July 2018, Ahad was charged with disseminating terrorist material and possessing articles useful for terrorism. On December 10, 2019, Ahad was found guilty of all charges.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison in February 2020.Henry Martin, “Keyboard jihadi duo who ran Facebook and YouTube sites for jailed ‘Sheikh of Hate’ Islamist preacher who inspired Streatham and London Bridge terrorists are both jailed for four years,” Daily Mail (London), February 12, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7995151/Duo-ran-sites-Sheikh-Hate-inspired-Streatham-London-terrorists-jailed.html.

Between 2012 and 2014, Ahad administered Faisal’s Authentic Tauheed website along with Kamali and others. Ahad published Faisal’s speeches and materials supporting ISIS and al-Qaeda.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. London’s Metropolitan Police began investigating Kamali and Ahad in 2016 while investigating another Authentic Tauheed contributor on Facebook. Police discovered that Kamali and Ahad played administrative roles for the website.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. Kamali and Ahad were arrested simultaneously on March 1, 2017. They were later released on bail.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. Ahad was arrested again on June 21, 2018, for possession of an article from a terrorism propaganda magazine, which gave instructions on how to assemble an AK47 automatic rifle. Ahad was released on bail after a police interview. On July 10, 2018, police charged Ahad with four counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication and one count of possession of a document or record likely to be of use to a terrorist.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770.

Ahad was part of a network of volunteers who administered Faisal’s Authentic Tauheed website. He was allegedly designated as volunteer AT3. Kamali was assigned the designation AT5 and reportedly became known as the “emir” of the volunteers.Sophie Law, “Volunteers ‘ran terror website spreading message of convicted hate preacher who praised ISIS for crucifixions and said children as young as 12 should make bombs,’” Daily Mail (London), October 29, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7626789/Volunteers-ran-terror-website-spreading-message-convicted-hate-preacher.html. According to prosecuting lawyer Matthew Brook, Authentic Tauheed volunteers emphasized quotes from the Quran or hadiths throughout the hate preacher’s speeches before disseminating the content online.Sophie Law, “Volunteers ‘ran terror website spreading message of convicted hate preacher who praised ISIS for crucifixions and said children as young as 12 should make bombs’,” Daily Mail, October 29, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7626789/Volunteers-ran-terror-website-spreading-message-convicted-hate-preacher.html. Brook also noted, “At the heart of this case is a website called Authentic Tauheed which published a number of speeches by a man who calls himself Sheikh Faisal… A significant number of them the Crown allege amounted to terrorist publications because they praised terrorist organizations such as ISIS and encouraged his listeners to support those terrorist organizations and directly or indirectly encouraged terrorist action by encouraging support for a wider violent jihad.”Amie Gordon, “Two terrorist sympathizers face prison after spreading sermons from jailed Islamist preacher Abdullah el-Faisal dubbed the ‘Sheikh of Hate’,” Daily Mail, December 10, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7776977/Two-terrorists-face-prison-spreading-sermons-jailed-Islamist-preacher.html.

Ahad and Kamali were tried in October 2019 and convicted that December. Ahad was found guilty of four counts of disseminating terrorist material and one count of possessing articles useful for terrorism. Kamali was convicted of four counts of dissemination of terrorist publications on the Internet.“Two to be sentenced for publishing terrorism-related material,” Metropolitan Police, February 7, 2020, http://news.met.police.uk/news/two-to-be-sentenced-for-publishing-terrorism-related-material-393770. Ahad was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison on February 12, 2020. Kamali received the same sentence.Henry Martin, “Keyboard jihadi duo who ran Facebook and YouTube sites for jailed ‘Sheikh of Hate’ Islamist preacher who inspired Streatham and London Bridge terrorists are both jailed for four years,” Daily Mail (London), February 12, 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7995151/Duo-ran-sites-Sheikh-Hate-inspired-Streatham-London-terrorists-jailed.html.

Created in 2008, Authentic Tauheed is a pro-ISIS, Islamist website. Although featuring almost 2,000 blogposts and serving as the largest repository for Faisal’s lectures and speeches, Authentic Tauheed has not been updated since August 17, 2017.Abdullah al-Faisal, “Entering the Lizard Hole (Notes & Audio),” Authentic Tauheed, August 16, 2017. http://www.authentictauheed.com/. Still, Faisal’s recordings and accompanying notes remain available for listening, reading, and downloading on the site. The Authentic Tauheed library includes lectures titled “Requirements of Jihad,” “We Shall Never Integrate,” “We Shall Never Follow the Jews and the Christians,” and “The Kuffaar and the Fear Factor.”“A-Z Lectures,” Authentic Tauheed, accessed November 20, 2019, http://www.authentictauheed.com/p/z-lectures.html; “Notes: Requirements of Jihad – Shaikh Faisal,” Authentic Tauheed, March 12, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/03/notes-requirements-of-jihad-shaikh.html; “Notes: We Shall Never Integrate – Shaikh Faisal,” Authentic Tauheed, May 4, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/05/notes-we-shall-never-integrate-shaikh.html; “134 We Shall Never Follow the Jews and Christians,” Authentic Tauheed, July 14, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/07/134-we-shall-never-follow-jews-and.html; “113 The Kuffaar and the Fear Factor,” Authentic Tauheed, July 2, 2011, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2011/07/113-kufaar-and-theh-fear-factor-e.html. In a two-hour long speech titled “Is the new Caliphate Valid?,” Faisal states, “According to shariah law the homosexuals are to be killed so they are terrified by the [ISIS] caliphate.”Abdullah al-Faisal, “Is the new Caliphate Valid?” Authentic Tauheed, July 21, 2014, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2014/07/audio-is-caliphate-valid.html. In a speech titled, “The Ideological Warfare of the Kufaar against the Ummah,” Faisal says, “…the Jews hate Hitler. Yet the Jews are worst than Hitler in character. They have surpassed Hitler with their cruelty. We lived to see the Jews become the very thing that they hate.”Abdullah al-Faisal, “Is the new Caliphate Valid?” Authentic Tauheed, May 24, 2015, http://www.authentictauheed.com/2015/05/.

Ahad has also regularly promoted and hosted numerous other Authentic Tauheed-related chatrooms and social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Paltalk, Blogspot, YouTube, Google+, and Wixsite. As of November 19, 2019, Authentic Tauheed’s Twitter account has been suspended, but the site’s Paltalk page remains popular and has more than 1,742 followers.Authentic Tauheed Paltalk channel, accessed November 18, 2019, http://www.paltalk.com/g2/group/1347249153/DisplayGroupDetails.wmt. To signify his ownership, maintenance or otherwise association with these channels and sites, Ahad often uses the terms “Islaamtruth1,” “IslamTruth1,” or “IslamicTruth1.”Islaamtruth1 Website, “ISLAM PROPAGATION,” accessed November 18, 2019, https://islaamtruth1.wixsite.com/authenticislam/about.

Ahad has likely used many aliases to maintain Facebook pages and groups, including “Authentic Tawheed Question and Answer”Authentic Tauheed, Facebook Page, “Authentic Tauheed Question and Answer,” accessed December 16, 2019, https://www.facebook.com/groups/469828066452566/. and “Sheikh Faisal [Video and Audio MP3].”Sheikh Faisal {Video and Audio MP3}, Facebook Page, “Sheikh Faisal {Video and Audio MP3},” accessed December 16, 2019, https://www.facebook.com/groups/abuhafiza4/. These Facebook groups are mainly “closed groups” with thousands—Authentic Tauheed with over 6,600 members“Authentic Tauheed Question and Answer,” Facebook Page, accessed December 18, 2019, https://www.facebook.com/groups/469828066452566/.—or several hundred members.“Sheikh Faisal {Video and Audio MP3},” Facebook Page, accessed December 16, 2019, https://www.facebook.com/groups/abuhafiza4/. Ahad also operates a YouTube channel focusing on “street” dawah (Islamic proselytizing).Abuzainab9, YouTube Channel, accessed December 16, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/user/abuzainab9. Many of these YouTube videos open with what Ahad refers to as “the Islamic State nasheed.”Additionally, Ahad has also uploaded hundreds of audio lectures of key jihadi material to the Internet Archive, including recordings of Anwar al-Awlaki, Abu Baraa, Anjem Choudary, Abu Izadeen, and Omar Bakri Mohammed.“Abdul Ahad,” Internet Archive, accessed November 19, 2019, https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Abdul+Ahad%22&page=1.

Additionally, Ahad appears to run the organization IslamicTruth1 Dawah Propagation International (IT1DP).Islaamtruth1 Website, “ISLAM PROPAGATION,” accessed November 18, 2019, https://islaamtruth1.wixsite.com/authenticislam/about. IT1DP appears to share the same U.K. Registered Charity Number (1147041) as a U.K. charity known as the Shah Baquibillah Orphanage Trust, which reportedly operates in the London borough of Tower Hamlets as well as Bangladesh.“Shah Baquibillah Orphanage Trust,” The Charity Commission for England and Wales, accessed December 16, 2019, https://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1147041&subid=0. According to the Trust’s website, Ahad is listed as the point of contact, but it is unclear how involved Ahad is in the Trust’s operations.“Contact” Shah Baquibillah Orphanage Trust, accessed November 19, 2019, https://islaamtruth1.wixsite.com/sborphanagetrust/contact.

Kim Anh Vo is a Georgia resident and a recruiter for ISIS who is currently facing federal charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.“Georgia Woman Arrested for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 12, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/georgia-woman-arrested-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis. Vo was arrested by federal authorities on March 12, 2019, in Hephzibah, Georgia and on December 10, 2019, Vo pleaded guilty to the charges in a New York federal court. She faced up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Vo was granted bail in April 2020.Jeremy Redmon, “Georgia woman pleads guilty to conspiring to support ISIS,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 10, 2019, https://www.ajc.com/news/breaking-news/georgia-woman-pleads-guilty-conspiring-support-isis/0xTkY19ir8rnxWPwLjr6LP/. On February 23, 2023, Vo was sentenced by a New York federal court.Matthew Russel Lee, “After Woman Charged With Threats to NYC NGO Gets Time Served Restitution Ridiculed,” Inner City Press, March 2, 2023, https://www.innercitypress.com/sdny33buchwaldvoicp030223.html.

In April 2016, Vo joined the United Cyber Caliphate (UCC), an online group that pledged allegiance to ISIS and committed to carrying out online attacks and cyber intrusions against Americans. Between April 2016 and May 2017, Vo principally worked on behalf of the UCC to recruit others to join the group while also assisting with the “Kalachnikv E-Security Team,” a UCC-affiliated hacking collective.Audrey Alexander, “Doxing and Defacements: Examining the Islamic State’s Hacking Capabilities,” Combating Terrorism Center at Westpoint, April 2019, https://ctc.usma.edu/doxing-defacements-examining-islamic-states-hacking-capabilities/. Between January and February 2017, Vo recruited other individuals—including a minor residing in Norway—to create online content in support of ISIS, including a video threating a non-profit organization based in New York City. The video contained messages such as, “You messed with the Islamic State, SO EXPECT US SOON,” followed by a scene displaying a photograph of the organization’s chief executive officer and former U.S. ambassador, along with the words:  “[CEO], we will get you.”“Georgia Woman Arrested for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 12, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/georgia-woman-arrested-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis.

In April 2017, Vo allegedly coordinated the publication of a kill list with UCC members in several countries, including Norway, the Netherlands, and Iraq. UCC hacktivists collected the personally identifiable information of over 8,000 individuals during a website intrusion into a U.S.-based business.Audrey Alexander, “Doxing and Defacements: Examining the Islamic State’s Hacking Capabilities,” Combating Terrorism Center at Westpoint, April 2019, https://ctc.usma.edu/doxing-defacements-examining-islamic-states-hacking-capabilities/.

According to court documents, Vo apparently believed the first leader of the United Cyber Caliphate was living in Iraq. After that person “ultimately disappeared,” she was nominated by some members to lead the group but declined.Sasha Ingber, “Georgia Woman Arrested And Accused Of Aiding ISIS Cyber Group That Made 'Kill Lists',” NPR, March 12, 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/03/12/702698744/georgia-woman-arrested-and-accused-of-aiding-isis-cyber-group-that-made-kill-lis. Vo was eventually compelled to stop her online activities. Court documents indicated Vo herself approached federal authorities three times between July 2017 and August 2018 and offered to tell them about her time behind the keyboard for ISIS.“Kim Anh Vo Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 12, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1143071/download. Why she contacted the FBI and the actions the FBI took after Vo’s admissions were not explained in the complaint.“Georgia Woman Arrested for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 12, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/georgia-woman-arrested-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis.; Sasha Ingber, “Georgia Woman Arrested And Accused Of Aiding ISIS Cyber Group That Made 'Kill Lists',” NPR, March 12, 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/03/12/702698744/georgia-woman-arrested-and-accused-of-aiding-isis-cyber-group-that-made-kill-lis.

According to her parents she never expressed an interest in Islam. Vo had wanted to work in cyber security for the FBI, according to her father.Sandy Hodson, “Hephzibah woman pleads guilty in terrorist conspiracy,” August Chronicle, July 10, 2019, https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20190710/hephzibah-woman-pleads-guilty-in-terrorist-conspiracy.

In April 2020, Vo was granted bail.“Bail granted to local woman accused of helping terrorists,” WRDW, April 1, 2020, https://www.wrdw.com/content/news/Bail-granted-to-local-woman-accused-of-assisting-terrorists-569281941.html. On February 23, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York sentenced Vo on charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.Matthew Russel Lee, “After Woman Charged With Threats to NYC NGO Gets Time Served Restitution Ridiculed,” Inner City Press, March 2, 2023, https://www.innercitypress.com/sdny33buchwaldvoicp030223.html.

Amadou Kouffa is a U.S.-designated radical preacher and a senior member in Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate active in the Sahel region of Africa. On November 7, 2019, the U.S. Department of State designated Kouffa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.“U.S. Department of State Terrorist Designation of Amadou Kouffa,” U.S.  Department of State, November 7, 2019, https://www.state.gov/u-s-department-of-state-terrorist-designation-of-amadou-kouffa/. Kouffa is one of the top deputies to Iyad Ag Ghali, the leader of JNIM, a group which has repeatedly attacked soldiers and civilians in Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso.Tiemoko Diallo, “Mali says it confirms death of veteran jihadist leader Koufa,” November 24, 2018, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-security-france/mali-says-it-confirms-death-of-veteran-jihadist-leader-koufa-idUSKCN1NT0EJ. As well as ties with Ghali, Kouffa reportedly has links to Mokhtar Belmoktar, who founded al-Mourabitoun after leaving al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in late 2012.Conor Gaffey, “Mali Hotel Attack: What Is The Macina Liberation Front, Mali's Boko Haram,” Newsweek, November 24, 2015, https://www.newsweek.com/mali-hotel-attack-who-are-macina-liberation-front-malis-boko-haram-397727.

Born in Niafunke, Amadou Kouffa was born Amadou Diallo. “Kouffa” refers to the locality where his father officiated as an imam. Kouffa’s popularity came in part from his mastery of radio as a tool for communication in his native Fulani language.Conor Gaffey, “Mali Hotel Attack: What Is The Macina Liberation Front, Mali's Boko Haram,” Newsweek, November 24, 2015, https://www.newsweek.com/mali-hotel-attack-who-are-macina-liberation-front-malis-boko-haram-397727. In January 2015, Kouffa founded and led the militant group Macina Liberation Front (FLM), which went on to claim responsibility for a number of attacks in central and southern Mali. Given the popularity of Kouffa’s radio sermons, many of Kouffa’s recruits are Fulanis, and the FLM is often considered in Malian media to be a “Fulani movement.”Pauline Le Roux, “Confronting Central Mali’s Extremist Threat,” Africa Center for Strategic Studies, February 22,2019, https://africacenter.org/spotlight/confronting-central-malis-extremist-threat/. His calls for more equality of opportunity and political reform resonated among young Fulani herders aggrieved over the theft of their livestock, abuses by administrative authorities, and certain traditional leaders, as well an identity crisis over their role in the religious, ethnic, and intergenerational crosscurrents buffeting many Sahelian communities.Pauline Le Roux, “Confronting Central Mali’s Extremist Threat,” Africa Center for Strategic Studies, February 22,2019, https://africacenter.org/spotlight/confronting-central-malis-extremist-threat/. However, there is little evidence to suggest that the FLM incorporates Fulanis in West Africa beyond Mali and its borderlands.Jacob Zenn, “The Sahel’s Militant ‘Melting Pot’: Hamadou Kouffa’s Macina Liberation Front (FLM),” Jamestown Foundation, November 13, 2015, https://jamestown.org/program/the-sahels-militant-melting-pot-hamadou-kouffas-macina-liberation-front-flm/#.VlQ8n-nVvzK.

On March 1, 2017, Kouffa appeared alongside Ag Ghali, Yahya Abou Al Hamem of AQIM, Abu Hassan al-Ansari of Al-Mourabitoun, and Abu Abderrahman El Shenhadji of AQIM, to announce the merger of their jihadist groups into a single movement, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam Wal-Mouslimin (JNIM).“In Central Mali, Civilian Populations Are Caught Between Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, November 2018, https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/fidh_centre-of-mali_population-sized-between-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism_727_en_november2018.pdf.

On November 23, 2018, French forces conducted a raid against jihadists in Mopti, central Mali. The forces claimed the raid killed over 30 Islamist militants, including Kouffa.Tiemoko Diallo, “Mali says it confirms death of veteran jihadist leader Koufa,” Reuters, November 24, 2018, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-security-france/mali-says-it-confirms-death-of-veteran-jihadist-leader-koufa-idUSKCN1NT0EJ. However, a few months later on February 29, 2019, video footage was released which showed Kouffa denying and mocking reports of his death.“Exclusive: Key Mali jihadist Amadou Koufa resurfaces to deny reports of his death,” France 24, February 28, 2019, https://www.france24.com/en/video/20190228-exclusive-key-mali-jihadist-amadou-koufa-resurfaces-deny-reports-death.

Ali Maychou was a U.S.-and U.N.-designated radical imam and senior leader in Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliated group in Mali. A Moroccan, Maychou joined al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in 2012 before co-founding JNIM with Iyad Ag Ghaly and masterminding its expansion in the Sahel in March of 2017.“In Central Mali, Civilian Populations Are Caught Between Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, November 2018, https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/fidh_centre-of-mali_population-sized-between-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism_727_en_november2018.pdf. Maychou along with his brother, Youssef Maychou, led a network that recruited and sent Moroccan fighters to northern Mali via Libya.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou. It was reported that Maychou was killed by French forces in an operation in Mali on October 9, 2019.“France claims death of top jihadist leader in Mali,” France 24, November 5, 2019, https://www.france24.com/en/20191105-france-claims-death-of-top-jihadist-leader-in-mali.

In May 2012, Ali Maychou joined the ranks of al-Mourabitoun, headed by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, and became a member of its religious police. In October 2012, he went to Timbuktu, at that time under the control of AQIM. He provided theological training to around 60 fighters, who were placed under the orders of Djamel Akkacha (a.k.a. Yahia Abou el Hammam).“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

After Operation Serval in 2014—a French military offensive to rout armed rebels and Islamist militants from Mali’s northern territories“France in Mali: A year of hunting jihadists in West Africa,” France 24, Janaury 11, 2014, https://www.france24.com/en/20140111-france-mali-military-intervention-operation-serval-anniversary-timeline.—Maychou took refuge in Ajdabiya, where he worked to establish contacts between AQIM and Libyan radical groups.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou. Maychou then served as the main media personality of AQIM in the Sahel. He made multiple statements, published by Al-Andalus, the media agency of AQIM. On January 20, 2017, Ali Maychou claimed, in an audio message, responsibility for the attack perpetrated on January 18, 2017 inside the camp of the MOC (Mécanisme Opérationnel de Coordination) in Gao which led to the death of over 50 people.“Al-Qaeda affiliate claims Mali car bomb attack in Gao,” BBC News, January 18, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38663693. The camp hosts elements of the Malian Armed Forces and members of the Platform and Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) who take part in mixed patrols, as put forward by the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

On March 1, 2017, Maychou appeared alongside Ag Ghaly, Yahya Abou Al Hamem of AQIM, Abu Hassan al-Ansari of Al-Mourabitoune, and Amadou Kouffa of the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), to announce the merger of their jihadist groups into a single movement, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam Wal-Mouslimin (JNIM).“In Central Mali, Civilian Populations Are Caught Between Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme, November 2018, https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/fidh_centre-of-mali_population-sized-between-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism_727_en_november2018.pdf.

On July 16, 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in concert with the Department of State, designated Bah Ag Moussa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.“Terrorist Designation of Ali Maychou,” U.S. Department of State, July 16, 2019, https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-ali-maychou/. On August 14, 2019, the United Nations ISIL (Da’esh) and al Qaeda Sanctions Committee imposed sanctions against Bah Ag Moussa pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of resolution 2368 (2017) as being associated with ISIL or Al-Qaida and otherwise supporting the groups’ acts or activities.“Ali Maychou,” United Nations Security Council, August 14, 2019, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/ali-maychou.

On November 5, 2019, Florence Parly, France’s Minister for the Armed Forces, announced that French forces killed Ali Maychou in an operation inside Mali in early October. No other details are reported regarding the specifics of Maychou’s death.“France claims death of top jihadist leader in Mali,” France 24, November 5, 2019, https://www.france24.com/en/20191105-france-claims-death-of-top-jihadist-leader-in-mali.